Landers Athlete of the Week: Brandon Rachal- March 16

How many high school basketball players can boast two state titles before his senior year?

Natchitoches Central junior, Brandon Rachal, is one of the few that can.

Brandon already has offers from Miami, Louisiana Tech and Kansas State just to name a few. He’s also receiving interest from LSU.

While the entire city of Natchitoches couldn't be more proud, there's one man whose smile is bigger these days.

"Without him, I don't think I would be the basketball player that I am today and I won't be the basketball player I will be in the future," said Brandon about his father Marvin.

Brandon has emerged as one of the best guards in the state of Louisiana and was named co-most outstanding player of the state tournament last week. The Chiefs brought home their 2nd state title in 3 years.

For Brandon it was a message to the doubters.

"I used to always tell them there's going to be a new MVP. It's going to be me so I just looked at that and I just got in the moment and said there was no way they’re taking the championship away from us tonight."

Chiefs’ head coach Micah Coleman said, "He looks for a challenge. He wants the challenge and he always gets the job done."

Marvin Rachal, Brandon’s father, added, "Brandon said Daddy, you don't have to say nothing else. I already know what I have to do and I'm going to do it."

It's that type of confidence that Marvin instilled in his son at an early age.

Brandon said, "My mom and dad got divorced but I stayed with my Dad because my Dad knows to raise a man, he feels like I need to live with him."

"Our minds just melt together sometimes, we call it the connection, We understand each other," said Brandon.

However, their relationship wasn't without a few tribulations.

"He went to jail for like 6, 7 months and I wouldn't eat. I didn't want to do anything unless I talked to him because me and him had that special bond. Times starting to get hard, my mom was in college. Things got really tough but God got me through it, I got through it and we stuck it out."

Brandon now sees his father is his biggest role model and as man he'd like to become so he can share the lessons he's learned from his father to others

"Getting an education, going to the next level and doing things like that pays you something. So, I kind of try to teach that to my younger brothers and my younger cousins and try to show them, there's a different path you can take, there's always a different path you can take. Try to choose a different path."

Marvin said, "Man I'm so proud of my son and I really appreciate him that means everything. To have him succeed and accomplishment everything we've talked about, that's it man. That really does it for me."